Several
times a year, I put aside my writing to become a “criminal”—not really committing
crimes but becoming a role player to help train new police officers. A number
of years ago I attended a citizens’ police academy, and I’m now a member of an
alumni group that meets monthly but also volunteers to assist with police
training.
Yesterday,
my role was to be an aggressive panhandler. I learned that our city ordinance
allows panhandling under the following circumstances: the panhandler can stand
in a safe public place with a sign and can ask someone for money once. If the panhandler
asks more than once, follows a person or touches a person, it’s considered
aggressive panhandling and can lead to a police citation. I was an aggressive
and obnoxious panhandler and received five citations for violating section
5-3-7 of the municipal code, which could lead to a bond of $250.
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